2024

They did it again, THS have vastly improved my song.
What I found is that it sounds exactly as I want, even though I didn't know exactly what I wanted. 

Original phone recording: #SoundCloud
https://on.soundcloud.com/tivaG

Art by Joy
Spontaneity by all of us

So thanks The Happy Somethings. Look out for new music from them:  https://thehappysomethings.bandcamp.com/

Previous collaboration with The Happy Somethings, 'Bitter' (Jan 2023)
#SoundCloud
https://on.soundcloud.com/wvSkj

Cobbled Moth & The Happy Somethings - What I've Found

Old New Babylon

phone with echo

Valley of Tears as in

https://biblehub.com/sermons/auth/robinson/the_vale_of_tears.htm


Across the big wide world I roam
I know I'll never find my home
Here, in the valley of tears
Went back to school they gave me a scroll 
I turned it into a singing bowl
Full of beer 
In the valley of tears
Everything not what it seems
I was controlled by a false dream
And fear
In the valley of tears 
In weakness God is strong 
In meekness I belong 
Across the big wide world I roam
I know I'll never find my home
Here
In the valley of tears
Hope lies beyond this land
All the faithful understand 
And we're cheered 
In the valley of tears 



In the Valley of Tears

You don't have to believe me
I'm not pleased I was right
I'm not proud of my life
I just see certain things 
There're lessons I've learned 
Wickedness in high places
I've discerned 
Are you hip to the subliminal
Why believe the words of criminals 
Put faith in this world 
You'll be let down 
It's far worse than you feared 
Yet it's far better too
There's nothing they can do
To stop love
We're in for dark days 
There's nothing they can do
To stop love
We're in for dark days 
There's nothing they can do
With their digital cage
I just see certain things 
Many times I've been burned
The powers of darkness 
Everywhere discerned
Are you hip to the subliminal?
Why believe the words of criminals 
Put faith in this world 
You'll be let down 




Faith in this World

Written 2/3/24 
Bathroom, phone, Spanish guitar with very old strings 

As I try to feel good 
Relive my childhood 
And worry about future loss and gain
Real bombs are flying
Real children dying
To condone it is to be insane 
If I do who will complain?
Denial, got to give the world a smile
Denial, it never goes out of style 
Real children dying
All the adults lying
Blind eye, deaf ear, hard heart, big row
I remember childhood
I used to be good
Got to be something to do somehow
And it needs to be done now
Denial, got to give the world a smile
Denial, it never goes out of style 


Denial

This is a windlass shanty (Text from "Songs of the American Sailormen" (1924) by Joanna C. Colcord).

The tune is attributed to Liam Milner in the collection "A Bonnie Bunch Of Roses" (1983)
by Dan Milner and Paul Kaplan.

It's a fine example of a work song exposing a bit of social history.

William Tapscott and his brother James were brokers for at least two packet ship companies
and would arrange passage across the Atlantic Ocean from Liverpool to New York.
 
Regrettably, their advertising was often fraudulent and overstated the quality and size of the ships. The poor emigrants were well and truly ripped off. On board the ships, 
the food and accommodation were inferior.

"Clarence Dock" in Liverpool opened in 1830. It received many ferry passengers from Ireland 
during the Potato Famine, when Liverpool Atlantic packet ship sailings were more frequent 
than those from Ireland.

"Waterloo Dock" opened in 1834. It was the major exit point from England for the NY-bound. 

"Castle Garden", in the last verse, refers to Castle Clinton in lower Manhattan (The Battery),
which was the forerunner (until 1892) of Ellis Island for receiving new immigrants to the
United States.

Tapscott

Vampire Night

Jazz Club Night (2025)

Rocktober track and day 28 

The air grows colder, the beats get stranger.
Time is slipping away, and the veil between light and shadow is thinning.
When it lifts — Rocktober ends, and something else begins.....

28 Na Na Na Na Na

Brighter days

℗ © Copyright Ian Stokes. All Rights Reserved
Recorded, mixed and mastered using Logic.
Guitars played: Taylor 714CE in open C Sharp tuning (Capo 9th Fret)
Photography: Thanks go to Nigel and Libby Hume at Hume Photography.

Having originally released this song on Soundcloud in 2021, I am delighted that the wonderful violinist Jessica Elisabeth has added her beautifully crafted playing to this remixed and remastered track. 

I hope you enjoy listening to this new version of one of my personal favourites.


LYRICS: 
These thoughts go drifting by
And I watch them fade away
Where they come from I don’t know
Where they go, who can say
It seems that there is always
A lesson to be learned
Another twist in the story
As the pages get turned

So I put on my walking shoes
Take it steady, take it slow
Turn my collar to the rain
Breathe in deep and let it go 

What are the rules in this game
Are there any rules at all?
These thoughts go drifting by
And down the waterfall
It seems that there is always
A lesson to be learned
Another chapter in the story
As the pages get turned

So I put on my walking shoes
Take it steady, take it slow
Turn my collar to the rain
Breathe in deep and let it go

Now I’m standing by the river
At the foot of the mountainside
Will the grass be any greener
Over on the other side
It seems that there is always
A lesson to be learned
Another time, another story
As the pages get turned

So I put on my walking shoes
Take it steady, take it slow
Turn my collar to the rain
Breathe in deep and let it go

My Walking Shoes Feat Jessica Elisabeth

My Walking Shoes Featuring Jessica Elisabeth

Words&Music by Nettamoon, Netta&McGill
Thank you for listening.
-

There are many ways I could tell you
Just, how I feel
As long as I know, you know it’s for real

There are many ways I could show you
Just how I feel 
And holding my hand, you will know it’s for real

Being fancy, I was never 
So I’ll try, to stay clever
And you’ll have no doubt, what it’s all about

Being fancy, I was never 
So I’ll try, to stay clever
And you’ll have no doubt, what it’s all about

There are many ways that you show me
Just how you feel
And I don’t have to wonder, you’re sincere it’s for real

Being fancy we were never
So let’s try to stay clever
And we’ll have no doubt, what it’s all about

And we’ll have no doubt, what it’s all about

Many Ways

Single Use & Recycled: songwriter, guitar
https://on.soundcloud.com/Wl2PybU0HXA8AxrTyl
Rob: bass, lyrics/vocals

I’ve got wind in my hair
Smile on my face
Needle point to ninety five
No one anywhere around

Back pinned to my seat 
She’s revving high
Pulling away clean and green
Front end up high

This jalopy has only one speed
It’s full throttle ahead
From stoplight to stoplight

Who want to take a ride
Take your life
Put it in my hands
Take a thrill ride

Check the oil, check the tires
Every night
Put a fresh shine on the paint job
Man, she looks so tight

I’ve got no reason to stop
No one gonna stop me
Needle up to hundred five
Red and blue lights all around

Hands pinned to my back
Feet spread wide
Got a fresh shiner on my eye
I know better


Take A Thrill Ride

don't go wasting your time 
with nobody like me
I do you wrong you do me right
and I figured everyone can see

but nobody knows but me
nobody Knows but me 

don't go wasting your time 
with nobody like me
u and dystopia collide 
and there really ain't no remedy 

but nobody knows but me 
nobody Knows but me 

I could take on a new direction 
check out my point of view 
open up to any new suggestion 
look out I'm coming through 

don't go wasting your time
with nobody like me
I'm like a moth into the light
blinded burned and ill concieved

but nobody knows but me
nobody Knows but me

don't go wasting your time 
with nobody like me




Nobody Like Me

Idris is a genetically modified human, engineered to navigate spaceships through "sub-space" - allowing ships to traverse enormous distances. As such, he's a tremendously valuable asset and vulnerable to kidnapping. There are other costs: the process of navigation means being aware of the presence of terrifying entities that seem to wallow in sub-space... Another track inspired by Adrian Tchaikovsky's "Shards of Earth" novel.

The dusky sounding guitar is my Gibson 335 - I love the warm but crisp bite of those humbuckers!

Idris

AI-generated  - 

The Cobbled Moth, active  on SC since 2014  with a second page called Cobbled Moth Regenerated, is a lo-fi solo project creating intimate, home-recorded music using a Tascam pocket studio, acoustic guitar, Telecaster, and percussion. The 2024 single "What I've Found", released in collaboration with The Happy Somethings, received a positive review on Joyzine.org for its emotional depth and raw sound, and both "What I've Found" and "Bitter" (also with The Happy Somethings) received radio play.  Collaborations include Aine Parkes on the lullaby "Even Knights Need Their Rest", Lin on "Fantasy", and Sal (Sarah) Lettes on "By the Way", with all tracks available for free download on SoundCloud.


PS
All of my uploads were made using zero AI -  If they're poor it's entirely my fault. 

"Single" REVIEW: https://joyzine.org/2024/01/10/single-review-cobbled-moth-the-happy-somethings-what-ive-found/

*First page: The Cobbled Moth (Started  2014) - www.soundcloud.com/thecobbledmoth 

COLLABORATIONS so far:

With The Happy Somethings (both had radio play):

'What I've Found' 
#SoundCloud
https://on.soundcloud.com/fcje6

'Bitter' 
#SoundCloud
https://on.soundcloud.com/fSVcs

With Aine Parkes: 

'Even Knights Need Their Rest' (Lullaby written for my son) https://on.soundcloud.com/aQrSk

With Lin: 'Fantasy' #SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/eRK2m

With Sal (Sarah) Lettes:

'By the Way' #SoundCloud
https://on.soundcloud.com/U8eFC

All for free download

In the Valley of Tears

Cobbled Moth Regenerated

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